Some political thoughts at the dusk of 2013

Whether LDF or UDF in Kerala, we would see familiar names handling same ministerial portfolios, as if they had inherited over generations and passing it on to the next scions. Allotting bungalows to the group of ministers would be the hair-splitting task once a government swears in and then spending crores on facelifting, incorporating Vaasthu and fittings & fixtures, as if they were long time abandoned, followed by arrivals of minister families from distant corners in jubilant motorcades. Allotment of cars and car numbers would be the next task. Some utilise this opportunity in deliberately taking No.13 just to impress with their profane attitude.

Appointment of private Secretaries is done in camera and you know, fresh appointments can be made here by the ministers and after a short tenure making them fully eligible for life long pensions and other benefits.

Portfolios allocations are done at multi-party meetings, factional groupings and mostly in private, appeasing dilly-dallying smaller parties and unsatisfied leaders. Board and Corporations’ Chairmanship are for those who are side-lined. After the next few days the public would also forget who they had voted to power, leaving them to take the entire matters in their hands for the next five years.

Manifesto? What is that? Yesterday Ramesh Chennithala released the election manifesto eyeing the fast approaching Parliament elections. Has anybody ever seen an election manifesto and given a serious reading? And had anyone ever complained for not meeting the points mentioned in the manifesto? Manifesto? What is that?

I had protested earlier on the usual newspaper headlines – “ xxx govt. sworn into power..”. It should be “Sworn into responsibility”. It is the mere transfer of responsibility to those who get maximum votes in the elections to take charge of the various portfolios. Who gave them authority to show power on the hapless citizens? Power is a wrong word used in a democracy. The basic essentials of democracy are not visible even after 66 years of post-independence and the media still use clichéd terms in reporting. It is here the new AAP govt. at Delhi makes a stark difference.

I could feel a fresh breath after seeing the bunch of young AAP’s ministers in casuals and blazers. Their conducts so far had been in total contrast to what mentioned above. Running a state government is not a big business and especially for them who are educated, intelligent and have criss-crossing data at their fingertips. Their TV deliberations are pleasant and with a body language tinted with commonality and simplicity unlike the Congress babus sporting in white kurtas with flashy mobiles and shuttling in red beaconed BMWs.

2013 gave us many surprises but the one at Delhi has epitomised all with its sheer simplicity. Let us hope for more delights waiting for us in 2014. Wish you all a Happy New Year!